December 16, 1996

Granary Child Development Center scheduled for repainting this week

Assuming rain doesn't change their plans, workers are scheduled to start preparing the exterior of the Granary Child Development Center for repainting today.

Some of the existing paint is lead-based, so to prevent potential exposure to the old paint during construction, the children and staff who normally spend the workday at the center have been relocated temporarily to the Children's Center at Family Student Housing, reports Buddy Morris of Environmental Health and Safety.

Located at the base of campus, the Granary center consists of a Cowell Ranch building and a fifteen-year-old addition. Workers will wear protective clothing, and possibly respirators, while they do surface preparation on the exterior walls of the older section, says Morris. They'll also use work methods that prevent paint dust and chips from spreading to the surrounding environment, he says.

"With lead-based paint, you can't just chip the paint off and let it fall on the ground, and you can't use methods that create dust, such as uncontained dry sanding," says Morris. "Often the paint surface is prepared by hand with wet sanding or scraping using special substances that cut the lead chalk more than plain water would."

Plastic spread around the building will also protect the ground from contamination, and air sampling will be done to monitor the effectiveness of work methods and the exposure of workers, he says.

Morris will be monitoring the lead-abatement work to ensure it is being done in compliance with safety standards. He expects the painting to be finished before the end of campus closure.

Campus planners chose this week to begin the project in order to take advantage of a slow time at UCSC's child care centers. The Children's Center at Family Student Housing is closed this week, allowing the children and staff normally at the Granary to move there temporarily.

To ask questions about the lead-related work, call Buddy Morris at 459-4454. For other information about the project, call Henry Hooker of Physical Planning and Construction at 459-3085.

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